My Answer
by CrookedMoonlight
Summary: GRUVIA one shot set just after chapter 470 in the manga! **So do NOT read if you have not read chapter 470!** My first one shot and first time writing Fairy Tail so i'm sorry if the characters are a bit OOC Gray x Juvia


**Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail or the characters! Hiro Mashima does.**

 **A/N: My first one shot - I don't write much anymore so sorry for the quality of writing! Enjoy! Set just after chapter 470 in the manga as I'm impatient and want Gray to tell Juvia how he feels!**

 **Update: For those that follow the story - I amended some typos and added a smidgen more detail and changed some important names I got wrong!**

 **My answer.**

Gray was a mixture of excited and nervous; tonight was the night that he would give _her_ his answer. The pair wearily made their way back to camp, Gray deep in thought and Juvia was well being Juvia holding onto Grays' arm like her life depended on it causing the ice mage to smile; he secretly liked her being close to him like this.

Juvia was silent during their walk back to the camp, she too was deep in thought; _was it really all over? Had END and Zeref truly been defeated? Had Natsu really done it?_ She hoped it was, her body ached all over and her magic levels were very low; She, Gray and Lyon had had an tremendously difficult battle against Winter General Invel an ice wizard like Lyon and Gray - he had taken a fancy to Juvia much to Gray and Lyons disgust especially when she got carried away in the battle and stripped _again_ a habit she needed to control especially when she didn't have the corset on. Juvia really did attract ice wizards but her Gray-Sama was the only one she wanted. The battle had really put the three of them through their paces and used up almost all of their magic to defeat General Invel, but Gray and Juvia had done something truly incredible; a second origin unison raid - something that they had practiced but not perfected during their six months living together. The best six months of Juvias life. The weary water mage looked up as a warm glow interrupted her thoughts; they had reached the camp already.

As they entered they realised that they were the last two to arrive; Wendy, Carla and Chelia were treating the wounded but most of their patients seemed almost completely healed by now. Lyon, Laxus, Millianna and Kagura aswell as the other members of the guilds were already sat around campfires talking or thinking. Lyon looked up when Gray and Juvia appeared his eyes lighting up.

"Ah, there you two are. I was wondering what you had done with my precious Juvia Gray." Lyon smirked at Gray but gave Juvia his best smile.

"For craps sake Lyon she isn't-" He couldn't finish as Laxus had appeared between the two ice mages with a very concerned look on his face.

"Gray… I've just heard from Lucy, Erza is on her way here. Maybe it's best if she explains it"

"Just spit it out already!" Gray said getting angry.

"I don't know where to start… but the battle isn't over yet like we all originally thought." His fists clenched into a ball. "Natsu is sick. He has a tumor from using too much magic" Gray looked Laxus squarely in the eyes. "Not only that Happy said that he is…" he paused.

"Natsu is Zerefs brother! Natsu is END! Etherious Natsu Dragneel." Gray stared in disbelief _No, no , no this cannot be happening! Its impossible!_

"How…" Grays fisted now clenched by his side and his head bowed. "How is that even possible!" He shouted. _I can't do it._ Gray spun around storming out the camp up the hill he needed to let off some steam.

"Gray-sama!" a velvety voice washed over him and a blue haired mage grabbed for his arm. He stepped sideways out of her reach.

"Just leave me alone." He said icily through gritted teeth. Juvia was taken aback by the coldness and distance in his voice but she also heard the deep sadness laced through it. Gray turned to walk off again not once meeting those blue eyes he couldn't. As he turned a smaller hand grabbed his own turning him around.

"Gray-sama… look at Juvia." He couldn't but he did. Slowly. As their eyes met, he felt his pupils dilate. _she's so beautiful._ Just as the thought crossed his mind she raised a hand and cupped his left cheek in her hand. "We'll find a way Gray-sama, there must be a loop hole." She had so much trust in everything and everyone she was so positive. But she didn't understand it wasn't just about Natsu.

Gray exhaled and turned away from her again letting go of her hand. "You don't understand it's not just about Natsu." Juvia took a step towards him cautiously.

"Then help Juvia understand Gray-sama." She then stood in front of him once more. Hands clasped in front of her. Gray was still staring at her feet. He shoved his hands deep into his pockets. Then looked up to meet her gaze. Her deep blue eyes met his gray ones filled with concern for him. The silence that hung between wasn't awkward but filled with understanding. Gray ran a hand through his hair and took a deep breath diverting his gaze to point someway in the distance

"It's about…" She took a small step forward and slipped her hand into his and gave it a small squeeze; she wasn't used to giving such small gestures. It felt odd. "I just… I really thought this battle was all over… I thought that I could… I mean I'd planned to give you my answer tonight." He looked back into her eyes which were now wide with shock a small blush lined her cheeks. "I mean I really wanted to…" his face lingered dangerously close to the water mages and somehow his hand had moved from hers to the small of her back. His heart was beating so fast now he felt dizzy. He closed his eyes. "But I can't. Not right now." He opened his eyes again a look of confusion on Juvias face but she hadn't moved. She hadn't left. She had been unusually silent normally she would've jumped to conclusions and cried, run off or declared that he was 'toying with her feelings' but not anymore. She seemed to have grown into a more mature person this past year or so. More time passed and they were both still staring at each other.

"Juvia understands." She looked down at the floor trying to hide her utter disappointment. She too had hoped he would give her answer as she also had thought the battle was over. She looked back up at Gray neither had moved so they were both still very close to each other. He was worth the wait. Gray squeezed her hand still keeping the other on her back holding her in place he wasn't finished talking to her yet.

"I… would you still wait until the battle is over? I just really need to focus. Now more than ever. We need to find a way. Once it really is all over. For good. I can give you my honest answer." He searched her beautiful blue depths. She was blushing again and so was he.

"Juvia will wait. Juvia will wait for you Gray-sama as long as she needs to." she smiled at him.

"Thankyou." Gray whispered as Juvia turned around to walk away.

"Good-night Gray-sama." She said smiling at him once more.

"THERE YOU TWO ARE!" A familiar voice boomed at them. It was Erza. Gray and Juvia were both rooted in place as the red head made her way over to them. "Gray, Juvia how are you both doing? I heard you guys had a tough battle?" She eyed them suspiciously. Something was up.

Juvia was the first to speak "Juvia is just tired Erza-san so please excuse her." Juvia didn't even turn to look back at her beloved as she made her way down the hill leaving Gray and Erza to talk. As she neared the camp which was only a short walk away from where her and Gray had been she stopped and looked to her left where a little stream could be heard in the darkness of the night. _Perfect_ she thought that's just what I need a nice dip in the stream even if I just run my feet through it.

"Ok Gray. Spill it. What the hell is going on with you two?" The re-quip mage put her hands on her hips glaring at Gray. He knew he had to answer quickly or risk her wrath.

"I don't know. I just. Its all so fucked up." He growled

"Try starting from the beginning." Erza plainly pointed out getting impatient. Gray sighed.

"Ok. Just before all this started. Well crap way before then. I had been thinking about us. I mean Juvia and I. And I told her that when all this with END and Zeref is all over that I would give her my answer. And well today I thought that I could tell her tonight actually. I thought it was all over. But now. With Natsu being END and everything it really isn't a good time." He scratched the back of his head.

"I see." Erza said pausing for a few moments. "I think you just need to tell her Gray."

"But it's really not a goo-" he began to protest

"GRAY! Don't you get it? When this is all over there will just be a new threat. There always is. And anyway this is a war we're in now. How would you feel if one of you two were to die in this-" she was getting irate now.

"I wont let that happen no matter what." Gray replied as a flashback raced through his mind, determined to never see the water mage cry again like when the dragons attacked and he had died for her. No he would keep them both safe and alive.

"But Gray think about it, what if you couldn't? What if you died without telling her? That would eat away at her forever the not knowing. What if god forbid that she died and you were never able to tell her? What then?" She stared at him hoping that her words would finally sink into his thick skull.

"I… I don't know. I never really thought about it like that." He couldn't bear the thought of either of those scenarios. He shook his and looked at Erza. "I've got to go, thanks Erza." The ice mage fled down the hill, looking for the water mage he entered the campsite frantically scouting the faces and make-shift beds for the blue haired beauty but he couldn't see her anywhere. _Where the hell is she?_

"Are you looking for someone Gray?" Wendy asked him she looked him up and down. "You know I don't think I've treated you today, I should see to your wounds-" Gray cut the young dragon slayer off before she could say anymore.

"I'm looking for Juvia. Have you seen her?"

"Not since she followed you out of here earlier - she hasn't returned." Wendy had replied but Gray was already walking out the camp.

Gray stopped when he came to a fork in the path maybe he had really hurt her, practically confessing his feelings for her only to ask her to wait again. He sighed. It was so dark out here how was he ever going to see her. Then he heard it. Humming and the sound of a stream to his right. He tore off down the path and soon enough he saw her; the sight was breathtaking. She was sat on the edge of the stream basking in the moonlight both feet making shapes in the water and she hummed a soothing melody. After what felt like forever staring at her the wind blew harshly in his direction causing the water mage to look up from the stream at him who was now very aware that he had lost all of his clothes except his boxers and necklace along the way.

"Juvia." Gray began his feet having a mind of their own carrying him over to where she was sitting without his permission, his eyes fixed on her face which looked iridescent in the moonlight, as he neared she too stood up and started to walk over to meet him. He could feel her gaze on his mostly naked form making him feel hot. He too drank in her curvaceous figure and perfect legs as she made her way over to him, he gulped he always knew she was stunning but in the moonlight she looked almost otherworldly. He adverted his gaze back to her eyes which he could see were slightly red from crying. _Damn it. I hurt her again._ When they were mere inches apart Gray stroked a stray tear off her cheek before saying, "Forgive me. Juvia. I'm no good at this sort of thing." He pressed his forehead against hers hearing her breath hitch in her throat as she placed her hands on his bare chest.

"Gray-sama doesn't have to-" She began in a hurried attempt to cool the ever heating situation.

"No I want to tell you. You deserve an answer atleast. I've put you through so much and you're always by me no matter what I do or say. I don't deserve _you_ but then I don't want anyone else to have you either." He wrapped his arms her waist making the gap between them even smaller both their faces now blushing deeply he needed to find a way to tell her. "You're so beautiful Juvia." He pressed his lips into hers softly they tasted sweet, warm and strangely addicting. They broke apart briefly before resuming, he reached one hand to the water mages head pulling her in deepening the kiss his body feeling like a jolt of electricity had just passed through it followed by a warm sensation that spread to all of his senses, he inhaled deeply smelling _her_ she smelt like a dewy morning, fresh rain, lilacs and sunshine. If you could even smell sunshine, well that's what she smelt like to him.

Juvias hands ran through Grays hair as he kissed her, she couldn't believe this was happening. _Gray-sama is kissing Juvia! Gray-sama said he wants Juvia!_ Juvias head went off to fantasyland imagining all 33 babies they were going to have. When the pair broke away again they were both smiling ear to ear their small blushes now a deep red. _It was now or never_ he thought.

"I love you, Juvia." Gray said his smile widening even more as he watched her eyes dance and sparkle as he let his words sink in to her and him. "I think, no scrap that. I know that I've had feelings for you for a long time now ever since I first laid eyes on you. But I wouldn't admit them. Not even to myself I was scared that you'd leave like everyone else. But you proved to me time and time again that you wouldn't." He paused thinking about his next words.

"It was at the grand magic games that I finally started to realise my feelings for you and really let you into my heart. But when I died for you the pain in your voice - I didn't want you to ever go through that again so I tried to reject and distance myself from you but that didn't last long because before I knew it we were laughing and joking around, going on missions together and just spending time together. I loved every minute of it." Gray stroked Juvia cheek tucking an escaped lock of her beautiful blue hair behind her ear.

"Then when Tartaros appeared I knew I'd do anything to protect you but in the end you protected me when I was weak. And those six months we lived together they were the happiest six months of my life Juvia - all because of you. I cant apologise enough for leaving you. I really didn't want to but I had to keep my promise to my father. I was going to tell you but Erza said it would only take a week max and that I shouldn't couldn't tell you to keep you safe, they were a nasty bunch those Avatar lot I didn't want you to have any part in it." He looked at her, for once not sure what her reaction would be, her eyes were deep in thought her smile now fixated into a pout, she was chewing her cheek. Gray took a step back but keeping a hold of one of her hands. The silence felt like it would go on for eternity.

"Gray-sama?" Juvia asked Gray jolting him out of his trance like state. Her eyes were shining like the stars above and she had a small smile tugging at her sweet lips.

"Yes Juvia?" He looked at her a smile tugging at his lips to.

"I love you too!" She threw herself at him full force causing them to both topple to the floor giggling as Juvia kissed Gray. _Her Gray-sama_.

Gray felt the cool air hit him when he and Juvia parted as rolled off him onto the space next to him. He placed his hands behind his head as he stared up at he starry night sky. Juvia rested her head on his chest as she placed her arm on his torso. _She used_ _ **I**_ _instead of Juvia when she said she loved me._ His smile grew even more and his craned his head to kiss Juvias head this was the perfect moment. He wrapped an arm around her back to her waist holding her next to him, their eyes met and the pair smiled at each other once more before looking to the sky as a shooting star shot across the nights sky. Gray and Juvia both made silent wishes as unbeknownst to them a certain red head had watched the entire charade from a distance smiling to herself.

 **FIN.**

 **A/N: Well my first Gruvia story and first one shot! :3 I don't write much anymore I know its sticky in places but I really wanted to get this on paper - Grays "I'll give you my answer when this is over" has been driving me craaaazy! Hope it's okay! If you like this oneshot please check out my other cute oneshot Chocolates, Flowers & Candles and my completed story fic Liquid Ice!**

 **R & R**

CrookedMoonlight


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